


Great Minds

by holdouttrout



Category: Stargate - All Series, Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-08-22
Updated: 2008-08-22
Packaged: 2017-11-15 20:02:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/531159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holdouttrout/pseuds/holdouttrout
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam and Zelenka bond. Rodney gets confused.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Great Minds

**Author's Note:**

  * For [beanpot](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=beanpot).



The lab was hushed, dark except for a pool of light on and around a cluttered table. Two figures hunched on the stools on one side, leaning over a stack of diagrams, books and computers piled around them haphazardly.

"I just don't think we have a good enough grasp on the numbers," Sam said, leaning back.

"Frustrated already, Colonel Carter?" Zelenka said. His tone carried a hint of surprise and a lot of innocence. "We've only been here for," he checked his watch, "four hours."

Sam winced and then grinned. "Not nearly as frustrated as I was with McKay earlier today."

Zelenka laughed. "He was a little more blustery than usual, wasn't he?"

They shared a smile and then turned back to the papers. There were elegant equations down the sides and a diagram of the external surface of a ZPM. Sam tilted the top sheet toward her and sighed. They had been working on this project for weeks--almost since Sam arrived in Atlantis. It was an idea that had taken hold over a shared lunch and a few expressive looks at Rodney's diatribe about how impossible it would be to spend less than a couple of lifetimes figuring out how to create a ZPM.

It wasn't that Sam and Zelenka thought it was likely they'd emerge one of these days with the answer, but they were not going to dismiss it as impossible.

They had just about everything they needed in the Atlantis database, but the sheer volume of information was proving difficult to wade through, and it was becoming clearer each day that there was a huge gap between what they knew, what they thought they knew, and what was actually involved in creating the technology.

Despite the knowledge that they may never understand the first page of equations, Sam wasn't about to give up. For one thing, it was a challenge that didn't involve politics of any kind, and for another, she was really enjoying getting to know Zelenka without having to worry about Rodney taking over the conversation to talk about himself.

Zelenka was flipping through a folder. "I think there's some explanation of the third line here--"

Sam looked over, caught up with trying to understand the symbols in front of her. Some of these symbols represented whole concepts, and they had to understand each one to move forward.

The lab door opened. "Idiotic assistants, leaving--"

Sam and Zelenka exchanged wide-eyed glances. In the same instant, they started shuffling papers around, covering up the evidence of what they were working on. Sam grabbed her computer and coaxed it out of hibernation.

Rodney's voice got louder and Zelenka dropped a whole stack of books off the table, directly onto his foot. Sam winced. Zelenka's face twisted in pain, but he didn't yell, just cursed under his breath and grabbed his notepad and sat back down right before Rodney rounded the corner, still grumbling about lights.

His eyes widened in surprise. "Oh." He looked between them. "What are you doing here?"

Sam nodded toward her computer, knowing she didn't look as innocent as she was hoping she did. "Just finishing up reports. Zelenka offered to keep me company."

Rodney blinked, obviously confused. "But--why are you here?"

Zelenka rolled his eyes. "It's quieter, Rodney." He had a great poker face. Sam was jealous.

Rodney looked back at Sam. Sam gave him a small smile and a shrug.

"Oh. Well. Okay." Rodney looked uncomfortable, but Zelenka and Sam just smiled at him. He shifted nervously and then pointed over his shoulder. "I ah...sleep. I have to sleep. I was just--"

Sam and Zelenka didn't say anything, and Rodney continued to look flustered. Finally he just left.

As he exited, Sam called out, "Goodnight, Rodney."

Rodney paused for a moment, and then kept on going. After the door shut, Zelenka snorted and Sam clamped a hand over her own mouth.

"He looked so lost!" Zelenka said, and then they were laughing, arms planted on the table to keep themselves from falling over.

"Why did we even hide it?" Sam asked finally, still breathless from laughing. Zelenka shook his head, even though they both knew they hadn't wanted to listen to Rodney deride them for their hobby.

"I think I'm done for tonight," Zelenka said, starting to pick up some of his materials. Sam rolled her neck and realized just how tired she was. She grabbed her own piles while her computer shut down. She really did have to finish her reports, and would have to try to get them done in the morning, before anyone dropped in, and she still wanted to get a look at what Zelenka had found.

She had her pile a second before Zelenka. "Tomorrow?"

Zelenka smiled, warm and open. "Yes, Colonel. Tomorrow."

Sam grinned as she left.


End file.
